Inspiration: 2 Timothy 3:16
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The Scriptures claim that they are inspired by God the Holy Spirit and thus, when approaching the subject of inspiration, one should let the Scriptures speak for itself (2 Samuel 23:2; Isaiah 59:21; Mark 12:36; Acts 28:25; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; Ephesians 3:4-5; Hebrews 3:7; 1 Peter 1:12; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17; 3:6, 13, 22).
Second Timothy 3:16 is considered by many as an internal argument for the inspiration of the Bible.
If this verse is internal proof for the inspiration of the Bible, then we must have an accurate translation of what this text actually does say.
However, there are differences of opinion regarding the translation of this verse.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV)
2 Timothy 3:16 Each and every portion of Scripture does possess, as an eternal spiritual truth the characteristic of being God-breathed. Consequently, it does possess, as an eternal spiritual truth the characteristic of being useful for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for training which is related to righteousness. 17 The purpose of which is that the person belonging to God (the Father) would possess the characteristic of being competent, specifically, by equipping for every kind of action which is divine good in quality and character. (Pastor’s translation)
This verse contains the figure of asyndeton meaning that Paul is not using a connective word between his last statement in verse 15 and his statement here in verse 16.
This figure of asyndeton emphasizes the solemn nature of Paul’s statement with regards to the Old Testament Scriptures which suggests that Paul is making an assertion about the Scriptures.
There are lot of difficult exegetical decisions that need to make with regards this verse.
For instance, does graphē (γραφή), “Scripture” refers to various passages of Scripture or is it used in a collective sense and if the latter is the case, then what collection does it refer to?
There is the question as to whether or not the adjective pas (πᾶς), “all” means “all” or “every” and does theopneustos (θεόπνευστος), “God-breathed” function as a predicate adjective or an attributive adjective?
The latter would mean “God-breathed Scripture” whereas the former would mean “Scripture is God-breathed.”
Consequently should the verb eimi, “is” which is omitted due to the figure of ellipsis, be placed after graphē (γραφή), “Scripture” or after theopneustos (θεόπνευστος), “God-breathed”?
The former would mean “Scripture is God-breathed” whereas the latter would mean “God-breathed Scripture is...”
This results in a decision as to whether or not kai is between theopneustos (θεόπνευστος), “God-breathed” and ōphelimos (ὠφέλιμος), “profitable” which would give us the translation “God-breathed and profitable” or is it functioning as an adjunctive adverb “also” resulting in the translation “God-breathed Scripture is also profitable.”
The noun graphē (γραφή), “Scripture” means “Scripture” and is used in a collective sense referring specifically to the Old Testament canon of Scripture since the New Testament was in the process of being written during the first century and was not completed until the end of the first century.
This is indicated by the fact that the word is used in this way often in the New Testament.
Also, Paul’s statements in 2 Timothy 3:14-15 indicates this as well as since they refer to Timothy being raised in the Old Testament Scriptures.
The noun graphē (γραφή), “Scripture” is modified by the attributive adjective pas (πᾶς), “all” which means “each and every” since it pertains to totality with emphasis upon a thing’s individual components.
When the adjective pas (πᾶς), “all” is used with a noun in the singular and without the definite article, it emphasizes the individual members of a class that is denoted by the noun.
The adjective pas (πᾶς), “all” is used here without a definite article and with the singular noun graphē (γραφή), “Scripture”.
Therefore, the adjective pas (πᾶς), “all” is modifying the noun graphē (γραφή), “Scripture” and is used in a distributive sense referring to “each and every” portion of the Old Testament Scripture.
The adjective theopneustos (θεόπνευστος), “God-breathed” appears only once in the Greek New Testament, and is a compound word composed of the noun theos, “God,” and the verb pneo, “breathe, breathe into” thus, its etymology suggests the word means “breathed by a god” or “divinely inspired.”
This word can be viewed in a passive sense emphasizing that Scripture’s source is the breath of God meaning that it originates in and comes from God Himself.
It can be viewed in an active sense emphasizing that the Scripture is filled with the breath of God meaning it is inspiring.
I will choose to render the word “God-breathed” rather than “inspired by God” since the word’s original sense is passive and more importantly the context indicates a passive sense for the word.
In 2 Timothy 3:16, the adjective theopneustos (θεόπνευστος), “God-breathed” is functioning as a predicate nominative meaning it is making an assertion about each and every portion of Scripture, namely that it is God-breathed.
The context indicates that the adjective theopneustos (θεόπνευστος), “God-breathed” is functioning in a predicate relation to the noun graphē (γραφή), “Scripture”.
The adjective theopneustos (θεόπνευστος), “God-breathed” is in the second anarthrous predicate position to the noun graphē (γραφή), “Scripture”.
This all indicates that Paul is making a solemn assertion regarding the divine origin of the Old Testament Scriptures.
Some argue that the word is used in an attributive sense which means “All God-breathed Scripture is also profitable.”
However, the apostle Paul’s intent in the passage is to reaffirm the Old Testament Scriptures originated with God and man.
He is making an assertion about the divine origin of the Old Testament Scriptures.
Furthermore, we know the copula is omitted due to the figure of ellipsis.
The most natural place for the copula to go would be between the subject and the first word that follows it.
We need to remember when a writer uses this figure he assumes his readers understand where the copula should go.
This would suggest that theopneustos (θεόπνευστος), “God-breathed” has a predicate function.
In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul is emphasizing with Timothy and the church which would read this epistle that the Old Testament Scriptures were God-breathed and thus are useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.
In other words, though God used men to communicate with the human race through the Bible, the Bible itself originates with God and is not merely human book but also a divine book.
Therefore, it is a unique book because it is both human and divine just like Jesus Christ who is both God and man.